Embracing Workplace Diversity: Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices

1. Diversity Bringing People Together

2. Section I Introduction

3. Workplace diversity • Isn’t about anti-discrimination • Isn’t about affirmative action • Concerns all employees and customers • Is all-inclusive

4. Workplace diversity • Women • Minorities • People with disabilities • Religious beliefs • Sexual preferences

5. Workplace diversity • Employee satisfaction • Employee loyalty • Lower turnover • Greater productivity

6. Workplace diversity • Diverse background bring different: • Perspectives • Values • Work ethics • Ways of thinking

7. Workplace diversity • Employees working longer • Women dominating more professions • Immigration

8. Section II Types of diversity

9. Generational • 4 distinct generations

10. Traditionalists • Born before 1945 • 11.5 million still in workforce • Values • Dedication and hard work • Loyal • Honorable • Conformity • Respect for authority

11. Baby boomers • Born between 1946 – 1964 • Values • Optimism • Team orientation • Personal gratification • Health and wellness • Personal growth • Involvement

12. Traditionalist Traditional roles Loyal to marriage and workplace Patient & willing to be disciplined Played by the rules Boomers Redefined roles Left unfulfilling relationships Immediate gratification Manipulated rules Traditionalists vs. boomers

13. Generation Xers • Born between 1965 – 1980 • Values • Self-reliant • Informal • Pragmatic • Skeptical • Global thinker • Technology literate

14. Boomers Fight authority Love media Workaholics Political Generation Xers Find way around Avoid media Want a life Politics waste of time Boomers vs. Gen Xers

15. Nexters • Born between 1981 – 1991 • Values • Optimistic • Confident • Independent • Social • Moral • Civic minded

16. Nexters • They combine: • Boomer teamwork attitude with traditionalist can-do attitude and the technological smarts of the Xers

17. 4 Generations • Unique work ethics • Different perspectives • Distinct ways of managing and being managed • Differing views of issues

18. Clashes • Stereotypes • Resentment • Misunderstandings • Different expectations

19. Other Diversities • Ethnic • Cultural • Universal

20. Diverse workplaces • 2010 – Non-whites more than 1/3 population • 2005 – ethnic minority workforce – 28% • Minorities - 41% of 39 million workers • 75% of new workers from Asia in next decade

21. Diverse workplaces • 2/3 of construction workers don’t speak English • Companies must: • Prepare bilingual manuals, signage, etc. • Train both Eng and non-English speakers • Operations manuals in applicable languages

22. Diverse workplaces • Majority of new class of 1,600 New York police force recruits were minorities • Only 45.2% were white

23. Other diversities • Mental and physical • Sexual preference • Religious belief

24. Section III Diversity and the organization

25. Manager’s role • Open-minded • Don’t assume all values the same • Treat individuals individually. • Be honest about limitations • Better understanding

26. Manager’s role • Highly qualified • Sensitive to concerns of multicultural employees • Held accountable for meeting diversity goals • Respect and support diversity

27. Human Resources’ role • Establish positive culture • Help select leaders • Review organizational goals and HR policies

28. Human Resources’ role • HR qualifications: • Team building • Change management • Conflict resolution • Cross-cultural communication

29. Human Resources’ role • Diversity initiatives reduced costs of: • Turnover • Absenteeism • Low productivity • Diversity improved bottom line by: • Decreasing complaints and litigation • Improving public image

30. Management’s role • Involved in all aspects of diversity • Leaders must be trained on: • Myths • Stereotypes • Cultural differences • Organizational barriers

31. Management’s role • Diversity: • Part of business objectives • Linked to business goals • Focus on impact on bottom line • Stressed internally and externally • Resources for competitive advantage

32. Management’s role • Organizational leaders: • Understand how diversity can improve organization • Use knowledge of minority employees • Understand needs of other cultural and ethnic groups

33. Training • Not just on cultural differences • Teach techniques to better manage workforce on differing: • Perspectives • Backgrounds • Ideas • skills

34. Training • Helps retain good employees • Promotes harmony • Improve communication • Awareness training – uncover biases • Skill-based training – improve productivity

35. Section IV Best practices

36. Diversity Advisory Committee • Promote diversity • Diversity plan includes: • Assessment • Upper-level support • Action steps

37. Diversity Advisory Committee • When starting a committee: • Ensure representation for all areas • Be sure all understand time commitment • Encourage all to participate • Have equal number of staff and management

38. Diversity Advisory Committee • Key outcomes • Better communication • Place to review and address concerns • Can disseminate external communications • Good recruiting and retention tool

39. Section V Challenges

40. Challenges • Increased training costs • Use seminars, programs and lectures • Show employees how to accept ideas of others • Include conflict resolution and prejudice classes

41. Challenges • Reverse discrimination • Associated with affirmative action • White males feel discriminated against (majority) • Company take steps to see this isn’t an issue

42. Challenges • Increased conflicts • Groups disagree on situation • Caused by ignorance and prejudice • Individual or group feeling superior

43. Challenges • Increases in turnover and absenteeism • African Americans – 40% greater than for whites • Women – 58% higher turnover rate than men • Women – higher absenteeism rate

44. Challenges • Workers who believe they are valued: • Work harder • Are more involved • Are more innovative • Minorities feel less valued due to: • Stereotyping • Prejudice

45. Section VI Summary

46. Conclusion • No best way to handle diversity • Companies must develop diversity initiatives • Success depends on issues and business needs • Company needs positive culture and environment • Upper-management and HR must be committed

47. Summary • Diversity types • Roles of management, HR and managers • How diversity affects the bottom line • Best practices • Diversity advisory committees • Challenges

48. Questions?